The Taste of Victory
by Mary Tyler-Moore
Summary: Caroline reads something very interesting in the paper. give it a quick gander ;)


The Taste of Victory

Really it was all too delicious. Had it been any other family, had it been any of the other daughters, the taste of Caroline's felicity would not have been half so sweet. That foolish Lydia Bennet had gone and married an officer. La! How joyous! How humorous that such ties would be placed after such girls. Proof that the Bennets chased after men. Oh, and how much more delectable it was that the officer was Mr. George Wickham. She saw it with her own eyes in the announcements. Not to mention that the announcement was short and concise. So, as not to draw attention to it. Ha! Caroline would sooner give up her teeth than to allow herself to believe that Mrs. Bennet would keep an honorable matrimony kept quiet. Not without there being some sort of scandal to hide. Oh, how wonderful!

Before Caroline had considered all possibilities, she had wanted Elizabeth to be the one to marry that Wickham. For her to suffer with a man that she had been assured by Mr. Darcy was detestable in every way! What a suitable punishment for such a power hungry fool! But this way there was an excellent chance that Elizabeth Bennet would die a lonely old maid! Oh, nothing could be better! Her reputation ruined and she wouldn't even have the luxury of a husband to care for her! No Mr. Darcy to save her! Oh, Caroline could hardly contain her amusement! For there is no way that Mr. Darcy could ever allow himself to have ties with a man he detested. No matter how fine the pair of eyes. Especially not when there was a scandal attached. There was no way around his hatred for such a possible relation!

As soon as she had composed herself, Caroline quitted the sitting room in search if her brother as to find out when Mr. Darcy would be returning to Pemberly. He had been gone for nearly a week, and she was anticipating his arrival so that she could proclaim the "good" news. Finding Charles in the front hall just as he was entering from a stroll, she enquired of his walk and hoped that the exercise had been quite invigorating. Charles replied that it had been, though he was suspicious of Caroline's true intentions, for he knew that she despised any form of exertion and didn't care in the slightest about other's interest in such things. But he did not need to wait long for his inquiries over his sibling's honest mentality to be answered.

"Charles, when will Mr. Darcy be returning from his trip?" said his sister to him.

"I'm not quite sure. His last letter stated he meant to take his leave yesterday. I seem to recall that he meant to stay for only three days."

Caroline thanked him and returned to the sitting room to reflect upon the information she had just gathered. She began to conceive a plan on how she could integrate her jewel of knowledge into conversation without drawing attention to the fact that it was premeditated. Caroline's delight grew just thinking about the perfection of the present condition. Never would she have thought that she would have discovered the means to completely eradicate the ties between herself and the Bennets. They always seemed to find a way back into her life.

After she had left for town, Miss Jane Bennet followed her. And wrote her countless epistles (that her brother never saw). Then after the dim-witted girl didn't understand that she was purposely not responding, she materialized on the steps of their home. AND continued to send letters, until Caroline finally returned the visit, where she made it quite clear that she had no desire to be there nor did she want to continue the acquaintance.

After that she thought she was free, but then Elizabeth Bennet shows up at Pemberly. And everyone thought so well of her. Charles, Mr. Darcy, Georgiana. They all thought her to be quite perfect. Only her sister agreed with her. Couldn't they how plain her clothes were! And her so-called beauty was not at all fashionable. She had dark coarse hair, and murky boring brown eyes. And what about her connections? Her family was intolerable. But she needn't get frustrated over any of that now, for she had the means to never even having to think of the Bennets, let alone be in their presence, ever again. At least she left quickly and rudely. Just vanishing away. Rushed away on important business. Caroline was unsure what it have could been,0 but surely it could have waited to give a proper farewell. Country manners never ceased to astound her!

The day seemed to drag on, but still no Mr. Darcy. Caroline's anticipation quickly dwindled to annoyance as it came to be dinnertime and they had to retire without the Master of the home. Holding in this information was a trying task that Caroline had difficulty containing. But she knew she had to be patient and wait for an opportune time. Or else the information will appear no more than a piece of information and no more.

Fortunately, Mr. Darcy arrived that night. Caroline was quite pleased when the maid told her and began to make her appearance particularly exceptional. She rubbed on her white make up and she powdered her face. Making sure no sign that sun had touched her was there. Thankfully she had no scars. So, she had no need to decorate her face with paper to hide the scars. Though the crescent moons and stars were preferable to scars, Caroline still did not enjoy the look, and she was pleased she had no need to keep up the beauty practice. She got her maid to pull the corset she wore particularly tight. It was a newer trend and a particularly painful one at that, but Caroline loved how tiny her waist would become and womanly her shape. So she repressed her thoughts of pain and suffered through it.

But all of Caroline's hard work was all for naught. For though Mr. Darcy was in the house, he had not come to breakfast. He sent his sincerest apologizes but he just simply need rest. He did say he would see them as the day passed, he just needed his rest. And on top of all of that, her brother was now teasing her.

"Caroline dear, I do believe we need to get you in the sun, you are quite pale. Or is the desire to look ill what you are trying to accomplish?"

Caroline gave her a brother a glare so powerful that if it had been anyone else they would have stopped, but not Charles.

"I just would like to know why the fuss with the make-up today? Most days isn't it just a light dusting of powder for a more natural look?" laughed Charles gleefully, "Now what sudden change could have made you want to fix your appearance?"

Charles knew that Caroline desired Mr. Darcy to be her husband, and he teased her about it continuously. For he thought she was foolish, he knew his friend had no desire to be with his sister. And when he tried to tell her so, she ignored him. So Charles enjoyed his sister's desperate attempts to win a man's heart who she had no hopes of capturing. Her foolishness amused him. Which was a tad mean, but he tried for months to convince her that her attempts were futile, so now it was just humorous.

Caroline grew tired of her brother's teasing, so she retired from the dining room to spend time in the living room to await Mr. Darcy. She would win his affection. She would marry him. She just had to get rid of that tiresome country family. Why wouldn't her plan just work? She looked perfect and she and the perfect information to go with it, but the fates were not giving her a chance to. Charles thought she was foolish, that Mr. Darcy wouldn't marry her. Charles was wrong though, why wouldn't he marry her? She had her own money, and she was beautiful. What more could he possibly want? Love? It wasn't real.

Caroline's day seemed longer than the day before but eventually the time for supper came and Mr. Darcy was there. Caroline still looked perfect. She had her maid retighten her corset, so she was even smaller than before. Supper was going exceptionally well. The food was delicious and at the height of fashion. And the conversation was light-hearted and flowing.

"Honestly, Mr. Darcy, we all were quite bored without your presence!" said Mrs. Hurst.

"Really, it was very dull without you. Though Pemberly is beautiful and perfect, your presence heightens Pemberly to it's full extent, Darcy!" added Mr. Bingley.

"I feel most at home here. And my spirit is more free. So I'm sure it is an equally beneficial relationship for my estate," replied Mr. Darcy.

"Speaking of a beneficial relationship, did you hear what happened to Lydia Bennet," asked Caroline to the group. Her brother and sister replied they hadn't. Georgiana was not sure whom they were speaking of. Though she assumed it was a relation to Miss Elizabeth. And she did not want to participate in gossip that had to do with someone she admired so. Mr. Hurst was only paying attention to the port in his glass. While, Mr. Darcy suddenly became very rigid. Caroline continued, "Well I saw it in the paper, she has been married to that Wickham fellow that Darcy despises."

"Really!" exclaimed Mrs. Hurst, "That doesn't shock me as much as it should. That girl is quite a foolish one with no taste."

"Like the rest of the family!" added Caroline.

Charles protested, "I'll admit that not the whole family is not the most fashionable, but the two eldest sisters more than make-up for their families down-falls."

"Charles, I would agree if I didn't suspect that Lydia's marriage is somewhat of a sham."

"What do you mean, sister?" asked Mrs. Hurst with anxiousness.

"Well, her announcement! It was quite short. Not more than three lines. You know her mother would have taken out a whole page had it been an honorable match."

Mr. Darcy paled at her words. Caroline was triumphant. She knew that Mr. Darcy was safe from the clutches of Elizabeth Bennet.

Mrs. Hurst nodded at her sisters. "I knew that something like this would happen. Well it's a shame for Jane. She can't possible get married now. No money and little sister like that! Well, no sensible man would attach himself to such a mess."

"Now see here!" declared Mr. Bingley, "This is all conjecture you don't know that it is true in the slightest."

"Oh, Charles! don't be so naive!" said Caroline, "The younger ones did not have the same morals as the eldest one. And see how she treated you!"

Suddenly, Mr. Darcy spoke. "I am quite convinced that Miss Jane did not use Charles poorly as we once thought."

The entire table looked at him in shock, except for Georgiana who hadn't looked up since the mention of George Wickham.

"But. But Mr. Darcy, you agreed that Jane Bennet had no affection for my brother and that she would only marry him for his money," cried Caroline.

"I said no such thing! I said I was not sure of her affections and that her mother would force the match on her because of Charles's money. I don't believe Miss Jane would ever hurt someone in that manner. And with recent information I am fairly sure that Miss Jane Bennet reciprocates your feelings, Charles."

Mr. Bingley looked at his friend in shock. "I- Are you quite sure?"

"Well, not quite. I'll have to see her with you once more to be sure."

"Then we're going to leave for Netherfield tomorrow."

Caroline couldn't believe it. What was happening?

"WHAT! No. No Charles. This is not right. I won't have those people as relations. NO. Did you not just hear what I told you?"

Everyone looked at her in shock including Georgiana. A sister was not to talk to elder brother in such a way. Even Mrs. Hurst was shocked at the outburst. She knew that her brother believed in open communication, but this was out-right disrespect. And it was not proper in the slightest to do in private, but they were guests at someone's home! How rude it was!

"Caroline, sit down," said her brother rather forcefully. Charles had never spoken to her so harshly before. Caroline was so shocked that she listened. "You will not tell me whom I can and can not marry. That is not your decision. I will ask you to please retire until you have collected your composure."

Caroline was appalled at her brother's words. She looked to her sister for help, but she received none. So she listened because she had no other option and retired to her room. Where there was a bitter taste in her mouth for the rest of the night.


End file.
